Hans Landa
Standartenführer (Colonel) Hans Landa is the main antagonist in the film. He is nicknamed The Jew Hunter due to his involvement in hunting down Jews in France. Biography Hans Landa was born in Austria. After joining the military, he was recruited in the SS. Because of his intelligence, he quickly rose to the rank of Standartenführer (Colonel). Story Chapter One - Once upon a time... in Nazi-occupied France He is first seen in France, arriving at Perrier LaPadite's farm, to seach the residence for any hiding Jews. After he asks permission, he enters LaPadite's house, where he meets the former's daughters. After he sits at the table, he asks for a glass of milk. He then politely asks LaPadite to send the girls outside, so that they could have a talk. He then asks to switch to English (so that any hiding Jews in the house would not know what they're speaking). Landa begins to ask him if he knows anything about the Dreyfus family. LaPaditte names the family members and their ages. Landa then begins to talk about how he loves his nickname, "The Jew Hunter". He then explains why he compares the Jews with rats, saying that he doen't consider it an insult. Landa asks for permission to lit his own. He pulls a huge Sherlock Holmes-like pipe and lits it too. Landa then starts to tell him that in order to cross LaPaditte's name off the list, he would have to have his men search his house. However, he suggests, that if any information that will make his job a lot easier would not be met with punishment, quite the contrary, it would be met with reward, that his family will no longer be harassed in any way by the Germans during the Occupation. Visibly convinced, LaPaditte confirms to Landa that the Dreyfuses are under the floor of his house. Landa asks him if they don't speak English, since he hasn't heard any noises during the conversation. LaPaditte confirms his suspicions and Landa asks him to return to French and continue the masquerade. Hans Landa thanks him in French for the hospitality and for the milk and they're now finished. He exits the door, seemingly to call the girls, but he actually calls his men, and points them the place where to shoot. As he wishes to everybody "Adieu", his men shoot through the floor, killing the Jews. However, one girl, Shosanna somehow survived, crawls through the basement vent and flees is horror, crying. Hans Landa goes to the front door, puts his suitcase on the doorsteps and pulls his Walther P38 to shoot her, but suddenly he changes his mind, instead exclaims a gun sound, smiling. He shouts "Au revoir, Shosanna", as the girl flees. Chapter Three - GERMAN NIGHT IN PARIS Hans Landa arrives at the restaurant where Joseph Goebbels, Francesca Mondino, Frederick Zoller were talking to Shosanna Dreyfus, now known as Emanuelle Mimieux, about her cinema. Zoller introduces Landa to Mimieux, telling her he is running the security for the film premiere. He kisses her hand, while Shosanna tries to remain calm. As the Germans leave, Landa explains that he would like to have a conversation with Mimieux. Zoller rudely asks why, and Landa (both offscreen) is surprised by the private's attitude. Landa then sits at the table with mademoiselle Mimieux. He then orders two strudels and a glass of milk for her. Chapter Four - OPERATION KINO Hans Landa is called into the village of Nadine, to investigate a shootout between several German soldiers and 2 of the Basterds. He identifies Hugo Stiglitz and Wilhelm Wicki. He tells to the soldier that accompanies him that they were part of the Basterds, responsible for killing German soldiers. But he notices that there's something odd about the incident. He then sees a woman shoe, and deduces that someone is missing. Signals everyone to leave. As the soldiers leave, he finds a handkerchief with an autograph from Bridget von Hammersmark along with a kiss. Chapter Five - REVENGE OF THE GIANT FACE Hans Landa, is at the film premiere, drinking some champagne. He sees Bridget von Hammersmark with 3 of the Basterds, Donny Donowitz, Omar Ulmer and Aldo Raine. Personality Hand Landa is portrayed as a highly intelligent and cold-blooded SS officer ordered to hunt down any European Jew hiding out in France. He has a sarcastic sense of humor and is often shown to distract his preys by luring them into long talks and asking them trap questions. Egotistical and ambitious, Landa takes a great deal of pride in this reputation, but scoffs at his nickname, alluding that he does not share in prejudice against Jews, and only hunts them because that is what he is ordered to do. He uses a very methodical and Holmesian approach in his search for hidden Jews. Besides speaking German, he is also fluent in at least English, French and Italian. Despite several loyalty awards within the SS, Landa is not a true believer in Nazi ideology; he admits he has no personal animus toward Jews, and that he is simply very accomplished at hunting them and therefore does what is asked of him. Trivia *Hans Landa appears in four chapters, the most of any character throughout the movie. *Landa addresses all Germans of lower rank as "Herman". *Hans Landa speaks the most different languages in the movie: 4 (English, French, German, and Italian). *In the scene where Col. Landa strangles Bridget von Hammersmark, the hands doing the strangling are those of Quentin Tarantino. *The pipe smoked by Landa is the Calabash Meerschaum, famous for being smoked by Sherlock Holmes. *Christoph Waltz dubbed his own performance in the German version. *The role of Col. Hans Landa is that of a notorious and merciless "Jew Hunter". In real life, Christoph Waltz has a son who is a rabbi. *At the premiere, Col. Landa is wearing a golden medal around his neck which covers his tie. This is the Knights Cross of the War Merit Cross in Gold with Swords to recognize non-combat contributions to the Third Reich war effort. Only nine awards were made during the war and it was actually instituted in October 1944 so it was impossible for Landa to be a recipient. *Landa claims that if they Basterds want to end the war they must kill Hitler, Goebbels, Göring and Bormann, however he completely forgets Heinrich Himmler and Karl Dönitz, who are just as important as the former four. Notable quotes *Monsieur LaPadite, to both your family and your cows I say: Bravo. *I love rumors! Facts can be so misleading, where rumors, true or false, are often revealing. *Au revoir, Shosanna! *Wait for the crème. *If the shoe fits, you must wear it. *Caught you flinching! *Oooh, that's a bingo! Behind the Scenes Hans Landa was played by Christoph Waltz. Quentin Tarantino has said that Landa might be the greatest character he has ever written. He originally wanted Leonardo DiCaprio for the part. The director then decided to have the character played by a German actor. The role ultimately went to the Austrian actor Christoph Waltz, who, according to Tarantino, "gave me my movie back," as he felt the movie could not be made without Landa as a character but feared the part was "unplayable." When Waltz auditioned for the role, he had no prior correspondence with Tarantino or producer Lawrence Bender, and believed that the character of Hans Landa was being used during the audition process to cast other roles. Waltz stated that he was most impressed with the dialogue and the depth of the character. Waltz describes Landa's character as one who has an understanding of how the world works, stating that the swastika means nothing to him. He adds that he is not driven by ideology, and that if anyone were to call Landa a Nazi, he would clarify that he was not, stating that just because he wears a Nazi uniform does not mean that he believes in the Nazi ideology. In describing the ending between the Basterds and Landa, he describes him as "realistic to the point of being inhuman", adding that he understands that the world is not just one thing at a time, and even though these things may contradict each other, they do not necessarily have to. The character Col. Hans Landa was named after one of Tarantino's repeat customers when he worked at Video Archive, a now defunct video rental store in Manhattan Beach. The customer, Hans Landa, was an Austrian immigrant. Tarantino bonded with Landa over their mutual love of foreign films. Upon hearing of Landa's death, Tarantino paid his respects to him by naming the character after him. Gallery Hans Landa meets LaPadite.jpg|Landa meets LaPadite. Hans Landa and his pipe.jpg|Hans Landa holds his pipe. Hans Landa sees Shosanna running.jpg|Hans Landa watches Shoshanna running. Hans Landa looks at Shosanna eating.jpg|Hans Landa eating strudel. Hans Landa at cinema.jpg|Hans Landa speaks Italian. Hans Landa laughs crazy.jpg|Landa laughs at Bridget's lie. Hans Landa talks to the three Basterds.jpg|Landa and the three Basterds. Hans Landa points his knee.jpg|Landa and his knee. Hans Landa sees Aldo's bomb.jpg|Hans Landa sees Aldo's bomb. Hans Landa talks to Goebbels.jpg|Landa informs Goebbels that the Führer will arrive shortly. Hans Landa points the phone.jpg|If I pick the phone... Hans Landa with pipe.jpg|Landa interrogating Pierre LaPadite. Aldo Raine with a glass of champagne and Landa.jpg|Landa cheers Aldo and Bridget. Aldo tells Hans Landa about Tennessee.jpg|Landa asks Aldo where is he from. Hans Landa and Aldo Raine outside.jpg|"Lt. Aldo, I presume?" Hans Landa angry.jpg|Landa is angry. Hans Landa Bingo.jpg|Bingo! Hans Landa laughs at Bridget.jpg|Landa laughs at Bridget. Hans Landa looks at Aldo Raine scared.jpg|Landa is shocked. Hans Landa looks at Shosanna serious.jpg|Hans Landa looks at Shosanna. Hans Landa nine.jpg|"Nine nine nine point nine nine nine" Hans Landa points to the radio.jpg|Landa points at the radio operator. Hans Landa sees Bridget von Hammersmark and the Basterds.jpg|Landa sees Bridget and the Basterds. Hans Landa shouts at Aldo about Hermann.jpg|Landa shouts at Aldo. Aldo Raine about to scar Landa.jpg|Landa about to be scarred by Aldo. Hans Landa shows Aldo his hands.jpg|Landa shows Aldo his hands. Hans Landa stretches his hands.jpg|Well? Hans Landa talks about ending the war.jpg|Landa's offer. Hans Landa teases Aldo Raine.jpg|Landa teases Aldo. Hans Landa touches Aldo.jpg|Landa touches Aldo. Hans Landa touches Aldo's knife.jpg|Landa touches Aldo's knife. Category:Characters Category:Nazis Category:Austrians Category:Germans